News & Events

It’s been a harsh winter and I’d like to think that, if there is any justice, a great summer complete with all the benefits of getting out of doors more, is on the way. Many of us will think of how to get that summer sun kissed look but because (a) there are no guarantees of sun and, (b) when it does show its face, we must be so careful about being safe in the sun, I think it’s wise to have a plan B in place.
Many people turn to tanning products to get the sun kissed look without sun or sunbed. But even here care is needed as many of...

I hope you are experiencing a much-needed increase in temperatures and you are finding the stretch in the evenings revitalising and invigorating. If you are already a committed gardener, you might be delighting in the first shoots of new growth. If you haven’t turned a sod or filled a container for some time and you are considering doing so, I highly recommend that you do. It’s never too late to start.
You can pick up a bag of organic compost from your local independent garden centre. You may already have the contents of a compost bin in...

Collective and innovators – two very pertinent terms when it comes to defining what makes the key differences between independent health food shops and big branded retailers.
There are few sectors where the majority of people involved at all levels carry out their business with a commonality of purpose and a closeness with its customer base. Long before hipster cafés and tribal homeware stores became fashionable, health stores were engaging in a unique relationship between producer, distributer, retailer and customer. Long before...

There are wonderful poems about autumn moods and colours, but Jack Prelutsky’s lines from a classroom have a slant many youngsters will share:
The leaves are yellow, red and brown,
A shower sprinkles softly down
The air is fragrant, crisp and cool,
And once again, I’m stuck in school.
So it’s back to lunchboxes, homework and timetables, and autumn can be a bittersweet time as the freedom of warmer days becomes a memory. But in many ways the change of season is a better time to take stock than the New Year, and a good opportunity...

The year gallops ahead, and as members of the Irish Association of Health Stores we measure out our time in seasonal window displays and products. For example, right now we are looking at remedies for the dreaded hayfever season, stocking up on safe and effective insect repellents, deodorants and sunscreens, loading Irish-made kombucha in the chiller cabinet, and displaying multi-coloured organic summer vegetables in many member shops.
Is it really worth paying the extra for organic produce? We would say for sure!
Whether the food is dried or...

There can’t be many people left in the country who haven’t by now heard something about fermented foods on TV, on social media or in the press.
Fermented foods are the very epitome of Hippocrates’ famous advice “let food be they medicine and medicine be thy food”, and every member of the Irish Association of Health Stores will offer you a variety of these foods. Apart from the old familiar probiotic yogurts, check in our chillers and freezers as well as ambient shelves for the products available, many of which are produced in...

Say yes to good healthy food and ethical living.
How are you getting on with your New Years promises to yourself? I didn’t want to mention the “R” word, because we all know that these “R’s” inevitably end up unfulfilled and often leave us with a feeling of regret and disappointment. Let’s not go there this year.
My best advice for 2017 is to embrace food – wholefood – locally produced preferably. Don’t be afraid. Fats are good for you, in correct format and measure. Calories are life saving measures of energy,...

So, what are your plans for Christmas shopping? Are you lucky enough to be considering a trip to Macy’s or Harrods’s? – Me neither. Does the idea of a ”Black Friday” online deadline excite you? – Not for me, either. Even the traditional city shopping days like December 8th are being replaced by a much more conscious and measured readiness for the winter festival.
Consumerism is being rightfully balanced with a much more social and family friendly approach. Rather than inflict, marketing induced, potentially emotional...

The winter is most people’s least favourite season. Chilly, wet, dark and dreary is how we often think of it, but the brighter side can be cheering – as can vitamin D!
The dark evenings mean for many people that it’s time to share the table with friends. We can hunt out recipes for comfort food again, banished last Spring with our winter coats, and relish kitchen smells of spicy soup on the stove and fruit cake in the oven.
Did you know that hot food smells much better than cold because aromatic molecules travel more effectively in heat...

The IAHS has recently compiled a fascinating list of the artisan producers whom we support. Some of these producers are small local businesses – beekeepers spring to mind – and you should watch out specially for produce in your health store from your own area.
We love our Irish chocolatiers, biscuit makers, suppliers of oats and wholemeal spelt flour, organic rapeseed, flax and olive oils, delicious sheep’s yogurt and many wonderful cheeses.
There is a growing range of Irish-made soaps and pure skincare too which our customers love,...